A Closer Look at the Costumes of ‘Rogue One’

One of the key focuses at this year’s Star Wars Celebration is Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. No stones have really been left unturned as Lucasfilm has really pulled back the curtain on Gareth Edwards‘ film. In addition to the fantastic panel yesterday, there’s a fantastic exhibit showcasing models of the vehicles and the actual costumes used in the film. One of the easy things to overlook in a Star Wars movie is the intricate work being done by the craftspeople who labor over even the most minute details. This is craftsmanship at the highest level. Edwards isn’t populating the film with hundreds of CGI characters. These are real people in real costumes. Works of art, really. Here’s a few we had the chance to peruse. (Nick Nunziata)

The Stormtroopers and Shoretroopers

Two generations of stormtroopers, four decades of cinematic life between them.

After years of standard white armor, the Empire has finally figured out that other colors are available. Which makes sense since white will stand out like a sore thumb in a tropical environment. (Mike Delaney)

The stormtrooper motif is instantly recognizable and one of the reasons the design has endured so long is how little tweaks on the theme lead to such interesting results. One would imagine more than a few of these walking around at next year’s Star Wars Celebration. (Nick Nunziata)

The detail that goes into these things is astonishing.

I hope these blasters shoot straighter than the regular ones. Interestingly, the blaster on the left appears to have a double barrel, hinting at the possibility of a grenade launcher or secondary weapon. (Mike Delaney)

They could have taken the existing stormtrooper design and changed the color and it would have still been cool, but the little tiny nuances here make all the difference. Notice the little sun visor ridge at the top. The little breathable areas to combat the heat. Ingenious stuff, all. (Nick Nunziata)

Backpacks for stormtroopers are generally seen on troops deployed in the field. The pack could contain extra ammunition and supplies suitable for the theater they operate in. (Mike Delaney)

It’ll be interesting watching Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and its multitudes of stormtroopers now that we’ve met and fallen in love with Finn. While he wasn’t a twinkle in his father’s eye at the time of the film, these soldiers being humanized is going to make the dynamic very interesting. I’d like to think that this backpack holds fruity drinks for other stormtroopers, which would make this the most popular dude on the battlefield. (Nick Nunziata)

“Patrol the beaches” makes it sound like these guys are lifeguards. Star Wars: Baywatch anyone? Stormtrooper variants are a staple of Star Wars movies, each designed to operate in different environments. Shoretrooper armor is probably waterproofed and protected from corrosion. (Mike Delaney)

I like the boots. Functional. Almost classy. There’s a very modern and real-life vibe to this gear which of course is perfectly in tune with Gareth Edwards’ style. (Nick Nunziata)

Director Orson Krennic

The whole "Admiral Thrawn meets Dietrich from Raiders of the Lost Ark" look is going to be a thing.

White Imperial uniforms originated in A New Hope and were adopted by Legends sources as the color of choice for the Imperial Security Bureau. They were later used by Timothy Zahn to denote the uniform of an Imperial Grand Admiral. (Mike Delaney)

If the Star Wars franchise has gotten one thing right throughout the years, it’s in giving its villains truly iconic looks and costumes. Hopefully, Krennic has more screen time than Darth Maul. (Nick Nunziata)

What a neat and unique weapon. It looks like someone made a blaster pistol that can sneak through metal detectors.

In general, Imperial officers featured in the Star Wars films were not armed. The fact that Krennic feels the need to carry a pistol says something about his character and possibly that he will be involved in combat during the film. (Mike Delaney)

One would expect that not only does Director Krennic have an impressive cadre of guards, he must also employ the best dry cleaners in the galaxy. Beaches and blood and stark white capes are troublesome companions. (Nick Nunziata)

Krennic’s role seems to be designed to allow him to take over the role of the Death Star’s overseer from Grand Moff Tarkin. Since Peter Cushing is unable to play the role (on account of being dead), the choices are recasting or CGI to allow him to appear in the film. Creating a new character appears to be the film’s answer to the dilemma of whether or not to include Tarkin. (Mike Delaney)

In case there was any question, Star Wars is as on point as it ever has been in history. December cannot come soon enough. (Nick Nunziata)